Muslim girl, 12, pulled from basketball game when referee calls her headscarf a 'safety risk'

A 12-year-old Muslim girl in Maryland was in tears after she was forced to sit out the first half of a basketball game by a referee who said her headscarf posed a safety risk.

The referee cited possible choking as the risk.

Seventh-grader Maheen Haq of Hagerstown was allowed to play the second half wearing the hijab after a league administrator granted her a religious exemption.

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At a game Saturday the referee made Maheen Haq, 12, sit out, saying the hijab could choke her. The garment is worn as a sign of modesty, as demonstrated here by a woman from the Frederick County Muslim Society

Dr. Mohammad and Anina Haq, her parents, said their daughter was in tears after she was called out.

Daphnie V. Campbell, the league coordinator, says the girl's parents will have to provide a letter stating that the headscarf is part of their daughter's religion and accept liability for any injuries.

She defended the referee's action.

Her coach Mark Kershner, who did not want her taken out of the game, admitted she was upset with the referees actions

Her coach Mark Kershner did not want to bench her at all, and said the headscarf was not a problem the first five games of the season.

'You could see that she was emotionally affected. Without embarrassing her, I could see it in her eyes,' said Kershner.

A spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ibrahim Hooper, said there are hijabs with tear-away strips designed for sports that the girl could wear.

He said cases like these can usually be solved with cooperation from both sides.